Who Should I Start? Rico Dowdle or Kenneth Gainwell

Tuesday, June 23, 5:37 AM

Veteran running back Rico Dowdle has topped 1,000 rushing yards in each of the past two seasons, playing for two different teams, and he looks to keep that streak alive after signing a two-year, $12.3 million deal this offseason to join the Pittsburgh Steelers. In Dallas, Dowdle shared the backfield with three-time Pro Bowler Ezekiel Elliott, while last year in Carolina, he joined a room with Chuba Hubbard, who was fresh off an RB15 finish and a four-year contract extension. While he was able to ultimately wrestle primary duties from both, Elliott was well past his prime, while Hubbard spent much of the year slowed by a calf injury. In Pittsburgh, even as he reunites with former head coach Mike McCarthy, Dowdle could face notably stiffer competition for playing time from jack-of-all-trades Jaylen Warren, who himself finished as the RB16 in 2025 while splitting work with one of the league's most proficient pass catchers, Kenneth Gainwell. However, in an Aaron Rodgers-led offense unlikely to push the ball downfield, both backs are likely to see heavy involvement, and with neither currently being drafted inside the top 30 of the position, both stand a strong chance to outperform ADP. Dowdle is RotoBaller's RB33 for 2026, but with multiple paths to fantasy relevance, he could prove to be one of the year's better mid-round values.